


El Capitan

by Yadirocks



Category: Baseball RPF
Genre: Brotherly Love, Friendship, Gen, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-06
Updated: 2016-04-06
Packaged: 2018-05-31 17:26:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,235
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6479485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yadirocks/pseuds/Yadirocks
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Opening Day shouldn't be cold, but apparently Pittsburgh didn't get the memo.</p>
            </blockquote>





	El Capitan

It was colder than it was supposed to be for MLB Opening Day. The wind bit at his ears and fingers, and the cold made his hands sting when he hit in the cage. Yadier would've much rather played in the heat of summer, the sun beating down on him, the warm wind soothing his skin. Even though some of the guys on the team loved the cold weather, Yadier hated it. He felt like wrapping himself in a cocoon of blankets and sipping on hot chocolate in front of a blazing fire. 

The ball popped into his glove and caused a feeling like fireworks exploding to course through his palm. Yadier cursed in Spanish at the pain, standing and throwing the ball back to his ace, Adam Wainwright. "Quit throwing so hard. You're supposed to save the hard ones for the game," he chastised. "Do you want to throw your arm out in this cold weather?"

Adam rolled his eyes. "Yes, El Capitan," he said, stiffening on the mound and taking an army stance. Then, he crouched down and rolled the ball to Yadier. "Is that better?" he asked, hardly able to keep a straight face. Yadier knew all too well what Adam was doing. It was his typical 'I'm going to make you mad because I know you're already in a bad mood' act. "Hmm...that didn't work. I wonder why..." he said, rubbing his chin and looking skyward in an act of thought. 

Yadier shrugged, picking up the ball and standing. "Well, then I guess we're done," he said, taking off his chest guard and putting it on the bench. "My pitcher is ignorant and has no talent. Why even warm him up?"

He was throwing Adam's little game right back at him, except it never worked with the ace because he never took Yadier seriously. He didn't understand why, if he was perfectly honest. Yadier was much more serious than Wainwright, but at least he could say stuff right to Adam's face about how he really felt and Adam would think he was joking. 

Suddenly, two arms wrapped around his midsection and pulled him into a hug so tight that it knocked the wind out of Yadier. "You love me and you know it," Adam said in his ear, a hint of amusement in his voice when he barely lifted Yadier and his legs went flailing. Yadier would've slugged him if his arms weren't pinned to his side. Adam released him, nearly causing Yadier to stumble and fall. Thankfully, he was able to grab onto the bench, or Adam would've never stopped laughing. 

"Come on," Adam said, taking the ball from Yadier and throwing it up to a fan wearing a Cardinals jersey. The fan looked about ready to pass out about the fact that Adam Wainwright himself had thrown them a baseball. Some people, Yadier thought with a roll of his eyes, pushing Adam along when he looked up at the fan and wiggled his eyebrows at them like an idiot. 

The crowd at PNC Park booed as they walked across the outfield to the dugout. Adam began to adjust the straps on his glove. It was something he did when he was nervous, Yadier knew. When Adam was feeling anxious or upset, he couldn't keep his hands still. He had to be fiddling with something. Yadier wound his glove arm around Adam's shoulder and said, "Don't be nervous. You've done it before."

A Pirates fan in the crowd yelled something extremely inappropriate at his ace, who paled slightly at the harsh comment. Yadier was pretty sure that the same fan yelled something equally as vulgar at him, but Yadier was used to it by now. Fans from other teams hated him for some reason, especially in the Central Division. However, Adam wasn't accustomed to insults, even here at PNC. It was hard to hate Adam.

"Hey, don't listen to him," Yadier said into his ear. "You're the one with the ball. He's in the stands and you're on the field. You control the game, and if you let it get to your head, you're letting that guy win. Ignore people like that. They think it's cool to say that sort of thing. They don't know any better."

Adam nodded, giving Yadier a shaky smile. "I think I just have first-game jitters," he admitted. Yadier felt it too. They all did.

It was the second inning. The Pirates had a 2-0 lead on the Cardinals. Yadier went out to the mound to find that his ace was looking around at the situation nervously. "Yadi, I don't know what's wrong with me. Nothing is working for me today," he said, averting his eyes.

Yadier took off his mask and put his hand on Adam's back, watching the time clock closely but taking his time too. "You think too much," Yadier said back. "Trust me, trust what I call. Just follow my lead, okay?"

Adam nodded, though he still looked uncertain. Yadier patted his back before jogging back behind the plate. It worked like magic. Adam threw what he told him to throw, and the game began to go faster now that Adam had gained his control back. Even though the Cardinals ended up losing 4-1, Yadier made sure that he approached Adam after the game. "I'm proud of you," he said, giving him a hug. "You didn't give up. It's going to get easier from here, I promise. Just trust me."

Adam smiled. "You know you're the best, right?" he said, looking up at Yadier with one eyebrow raised and his lips stretched into a lopsided smile. Yadier ignored Adam like he always did, and said, "I really am proud of you. Remember, you can't let it get to your head. Only you can show how good you are, and Adam Wainwright, you're the best pitcher I've ever caught for. And I've caught a lot of pitchers, so that's saying something," he said.

Just as Yadier was about to leave, Adam stood and pulled Yadier into another embrace. Yadier braced for the tight hug he had received earlier, determined not to let his legs flail as violently as they did the last time. Adam didn't pick him up or bear hug him, though. He simply hugged Yadier, a genuine hug. "Thanks, El Capitan. I don't know what I'd do if you weren't my catcher. I'd be four times worse."

Yadier was about to object like he always did, but Adam pulled away and said, "Don't you dare say that that isn't true, or I will be forced to tickle it into you. Now go home and shower. You stink."

"Thanks," Yadier said sarcastically, but when Adam just gave him a goofy grin in response and held his nose, pretending to pass out, Yadier rolled his eyes. "Okay, okay, I get it," he grumbled, walking away from Adam before he could pretend to throw up. The serious moment came and went, but Yadier was silently relieved. He went to his locker to get his things when a sticky note fell out. Yadier frowned, picking it up. 

Scrawled in Adam's handwriting were the words, "Thanks again, hermano. I mean...El Capitan ;D"

Yadier stuffed the note in his pocket, shaking his head with a smile. Sometimes, Adam Wainwright was the most annoying ace he'd ever pitched to, but that's why Yadier loved him.


End file.
